Dear graduate student community,
Like you, I am horrified and saddened by the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others due to racial violence. Many of you, particularly African American / Black students and other students of color, are frustrated and angry, and I stand with you in demanding racial and social justice.
Graduate education is a progressive force in society, and it flourishes in an environment of safety, respect, justice, and equity. The Graduate School staff is committed to doing everything we can to provide a safe and supportive environment in which all students can thrive and develop into the next generation of researchers, scholars, creatives, and practitioners, regardless of background or race.
The staff of the Graduate School is here to help. If you are concerned about a university situation and would like confidential advice, please contact the Graduate School’s ombuds officer, Mark Shayman, shayman@umd.edu.
If you would like to learn more about the mental health and wellness resources that the University can offer, please contact the Graduate School’s Academic Counselor, Simone Warrick-Bell, slivings@umd.edu.
If you would like to participate in our Office of Graduate Diversity and Inclusion’s (OGDI) initiatives, consult our website or join the OGDI Facebook group page.
If you would like to talk to someone or just vent, join a response session with your peers at 2 pm on Friday June 5, led by Simone Warrick-Bell and Christopher Pérez, Director of the OGDI; register here.
Please let me know if there is more that The Graduate School should be doing at this pivotal and painful moment.
In solidarity,
Steve Fetter
Associate Provost and Dean, The Graduate School
graduate-dean@umd.edu